Tag Archives: fantasy

One Sentence Review – Books Are Magic – Margins by Edward Lorn @EdwardLorn

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Margins by Edward Lorn is not your typical love story, but…

It is short and sweet.

Margins

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

Ms March owned Second Hand Books, loved the books as if they were her own children, and if you want a fun, and kinda sad love story and believe books are magic too, you will want to meet Jamie and Joe, by reading the fantasy short story Edward Lorn has written, called Margins.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  Have you ever truly loved a book?

One day, while perusing the stacks of her favorite used bookstore, Jaime comes across a book by an author whom she’s never heard of. After an awkward encounter, she rushes home with A RENDEZVOUS WITH RICHARD in tow.

It’s in the margins that Jaime finds and falls for the mysterious Joe. Because A RENDEZVOUS WITH RICHARD isn’t a normal book. And MARGINS isn’t your average love story

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MY REVIEWS FOR EDWARD LORN

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YA Fantasy – The Perfect Tear by Connie Lansberg @theperfecttear @YABoundToursPR

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  The cover for The Perfect Tear by Connie Lansberg caught my eye and I had to investigate.

What do you think?

Amazon  /  Goodreads

The Perfect Tear
by Connie Lansberg
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: November 11th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

Eleanor, a timid orphan, is a Singer. Her songs keep nature in balance, but when they are stolen from her the grey mist descends, and her world fails to thrive. This timid orphan is forced into a course of action she never asked for, nor envisioned.

Eleanor grapples with crippling self-doubt and fear until she learns these are far more perilous than the physical dangers she faces moment to moment on her terrifying, puzzling and often funny search for The Perfect Tear, a crystal which contains the Third Vibration and able to heal the land. She is horrified to discover that she must defeat an inter-dimensional being or become his accomplice in the destruction of she loves.

But Eleanor is no savior, just a simple girl with strong instincts and she must learn to trust them. Just like the notes of a song must form connections to create a melody, Eleanor must discover the connections needed to create the harmony required to truly save her world.

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About the Author

Connie Lansberg is a singer/songwriter and now author based in Melbourne Australia. She’s had her original songs placed in some of Australia’s best loved TV shows that play around the world and The Connie Lansberg Quartet is a fixture in the Melbourne jazz scene. Her most recent original musical project is Tsera’s Gift, written especially for The Perfect Tear and she performs these songs throughout Melbourne. This is Connie’s first novel and the movie is coming. The record will be out soon.

Connie has received several grants from the Victoria Council of the Arts for the development of mobile phone games that she created.

Connie joined the Melbourne Writers Group in 2010 to work on ideas and scripts and during this time the idea for The Perfect Tear began to develop and take shape. She continued her education by taking scriptwriting classes at the Australian Film and Television School in Melbourne. She has two more stories to complete The Perfect Tear Trilogy and is hoping to have the second book finished in 2017.

“The first thing anybody tells you about this business is to say what makes you unique and different, but I couldn’t and the very idea of it never sat well with me and after much deliberation, I finally realized why.

Because, I’m not unique or different-I’m exactly like you and I love that. We each have a unique filter through which we interpret the world, and with this filter in place, I write stories and songs and you might find them surprising or intriguing or confronting, you may relate or you may not. They may make you laugh and sometimes, even cry.

You may or may not understand what I’m trying to say and you may not understand me, however, rest assured, once we get past the filters, at our core, we are wonderfully and beautifully, exactly the same.”

Author Links:  Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Youtube│Instagram

 

Blog Tour Organized by:  YA Bound Book Tours

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Giveaway – Nate Temple Chronicles by Shayne Silvers @ShayneSilvers @SilverDaggerSxx

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Obsidian Son
The Nate Temple Chronicles Book 1
By Shayne Silvers
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
 
A city that doesn’t believe in magic. Bloodthirsty weredragons. Good
thing this reckless playboy has superpowers…
It’s been said that monsters cry when a good man goes to war. But they
should run screaming like little school girls when that man is
secretly a wizard, and maybe not necessarily good…
Nate Temple’s all-consuming quest to avenge his parents is temporarily
put on hold when shape-shifting dragons invade St. Louis. And perhaps
cow-tipping the Minotaur for answers might not have been Nate’s
smartest opening move, because now every flavor of supernatural thug
from our childhood nightmares is gunning for him. Nate learns that
the only way to save his city from these creatures is to murder his
best friend…
Nate’s choice will throw the world and his own conscience into cataclysmic
chaos: avenge his parents or become a murderer to save his city.
Because to do either, he’s going to have to show the world that
magic is very, very real, and that monsters are very, very hungry…
To survive, he might just need to take a page from the book, How to
Win Friends and Influence Monsters.
 
If you like Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, or Patrick Rothfuss, you will
LOVE the first installment of The Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller
series.
 
 
Blood Debts
The Nate Temple Chronicles Book 2
 
A Wizard, an Angel, and a Horseman of the Apocalypse walk into a bar…
The ancient pact between mankind, Heaven, and Hell has been broken. And
this upstart wizard’s quest for vengeance may have just kicked off
Armageddon. So, time for a drink… or maybe two.
Already plagued with sinister night terrors that could qualify him as a
card-carrying psychopathic insomniac, Nate can barely even manage to
put his pants on in the morning, let alone pick teams for the
Apocalypse.
But when he’s framed as a demon sympathizer, condemned by the Armies of
Heaven, and hunted down by both his allies and the Four Horsemen,
this wizard doesn’t think it can get any worse…
 
Then they take away his magic. And a wizard without magic stands no chance
against the forces of Heaven and Hell…
 
 
Grimm
The Nate Temple Chronicles Book 3
 
The Brothers Grimm – legendary supernatural assassins – have escaped
their prison, and their first day in St. Louis could be Nate Temple’s
last…
Sharing a beer with Death – one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse –
really put a few things into perspective for this foul-mouthed,
billionaire wizard. Like finally strapping on the boots to propose to
his girlfriend.
But assassination contracts have a way of putting wedding plans on hold.
Perhaps permanently. And with the entire wedding party on the
bloodthirsty Grimm’s hit-list, and his family fortune in jeopardy,
Nate realizes they can’t run and they can’t hide. So, time to do
magic and stuff…
But with every flavor of supernatural thug teaming up to help the Grimms,
Nate realizes that friends have become enemies and enemies have
become friends, and he’s forced to cross lines that are better left
uncrossed.
When magic, claws, and teeth dance to the song of war, the only thing left
to learn is who lives and who dies. And if Nate can live with the
consequences.
 
No wonder a guy is terrified to propose…
 
 
Silver Tongue
The Nate Temple Chronicles Book 4
 
My resume is pretty full: I’ve cow-tipped the Minotaur, decimated a
gang of weredragons, sucker-punched an Angel, and eaten pancakes with
the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse…
I’ve kidnapped one of the most powerful wizards on the planet, and
slaughtered the Brothers Grimm. I’m kind of a big deal.
 
But I never thought I’d find myself at a crossroads, a pawn in a deadly
game that I hadn’t known existed, willing to sell my soul to save
the life of someone I loved… That’s when I learned true fear,
because the world I thought I knew was all just smoke and mirrors,
and I was just a puppy playing amongst wolves…
 
 
Beast Master
The NateTemple Chronicles Book 5
 
What do you do for Thanksgiving Dinner when your guests are Death, an
Angel, and a slew of other monsters? You have a nerf gun war, of
course… But the Queens of Fae want to crash his party. And the
Beast Master is abducting shifter children for a Monster Circus.

Thanksgiving Dinner plans with Death, an Angel, a vampire, Achilles, and a slew of
other monsters are cut short because a Monster Circus has come to
town. And the Beast Master needs new Monsters for his show…
 
But the Queens of Fae also want a little deep-fried wizard for the
holidays.
 
Oh, and Nate is losing that last finger-hold on his
sanity: hallucinating, and talking to creatures that no one else can
see. The ancient demon inside of him is getting stronger, fighting
for dominance, and only one of them can survive.
 
But when a wizard curses Nate, extorting him to rescue a lethal Chimera child
from the Beast Master’s Circus, Nate’s only option is to partner
with his inner demon, risking his very soul. But his friends begin to
doubt and fear this new, darker Nate, taking matters into their own
hands – even when that means standing against him.
 
With allies turned enemies, the Fae breathing down his neck, and a
dangerous child’s life on the line, Nate must call upon, bully, and
coerce new storybook legends and gods to save his traitorous friends
from becoming the Beast Master’s next victims…
 
Discover what – if anything – Nate is willing to sacrifice to save the
friends who betrayed him…
 
 
Shayne is a man of mystery and power, whose power is exceeded only by his
mystery. In other words, a storyteller.
He currently writes the Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller Series, which
features a foul-mouthed young wizard with a chip on his shoulder
attempting to protect St. Louis from the various nasties we all know
and fear from our childhood bedtime stories. Nate’s been known to
suckerpunch an Angel, cow-tip the Minotaur, and steal Death’s horse
in order to prove his point. His utter disregard for consequences and
self-preservation will have you laughing and cringing on the edge of
your seat.
Shayne holds two high-ranking black belts, and enjoys conversing about
anything Marvel, Magical, or Mythological. You might find him writing
in a coffee shop near you, cackling madly into his computer screen
while pounding shots of espresso.
 
Join my Readers’ Group for your free books and a pile of other goodies
when they become available.
 
 
  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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You can get the first three in the series on Kindle for free at time of posting. Be sure and check for the “0”.

Cover Reveal – Vanish by Becca Campbell @beccajcampbell

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I am very excited to have Becca Campbell here on fundinmental to share Vanish!

Take it away Becca.

Today I get to reveal the cover art for a brand new story! I’ve been working on this one for a while but keeping it somewhat quiet. Now, it’s finally ready to share! This is where the fun part happens.

First off, let me show you the gorgeous cover, designed by the very talented Steven Novak.

Goodreads

Eva has two secrets. The second is that she periodically vanishes into thin air.

Usually, Eva’s spontaneous disappearances last only a few minutes, but on the day of her high school graduation, she vanished for nearly ten years. For a decade she was invisible and intangible—unable to be felt or seen or heard. She can’t imagine a worse torture than standing on the outside looking in.

Now she’s back, but it’s not enough to be tangible once again. Eva needs to find a way to stop vanishing permanently. Which is why she’s facing her ten-year class reunion—and her ex-boyfriend. The clue to stopping her disappearances must be tied to him, intertwined with their past. Unfortunately, approaching him is awkward-level five billion, considering he broke up with her ten years ago.

When Eva starts getting threatening texts from an unknown source, she realizes the reunion has just gotten even more complicated. Especially when she discovers that source has found out about her second, worse secret.

In order to find the key to stop her vanishing, Eva must battle grudge-wielding friends, relentless old crushes, and a classmate with a vendetta against her. And, in the meantime, hope she doesn’t vanish again. Because somebody wants her gone for another ten years.

A Romantic Standalone with a Twist

This standalone story blends romance with fantasy. It has a slightly different feel than the Flawed series (it lacks the serial killers, for one thing) and my other books, but if you’re looking for a good love story with a twist, look no further.

The idea for this story actually started from a dream I had a few years back. It was one of those dreams where, when you wake up, you keep trying to go back to sleep so that you can see how it ends. I was not so lucky. So instead, I created my own ending while fully awake.

How to Get a Free Early Copy

Vanish is currently in the final, proofreading stage, which means it is very close to pub-ready. I plan to release it in just a few weeks.

I’m temporarily opening this book up for advanced readers. If you’d like to get your hands on it early, all you have to do is:

  1.  Set aside time to read it within the next ten days.
    2. Agree to share your honest review of the work on Amazon, Goodreads (and wherever else applicable) when Vanishlaunches.

That’s it. If you’d like to reserve your ARC (advance review copy) of Vanish, email me at beccajcampbell@gmail.com, and I’ll get you hooked up.

Once you’ve done that, mosey on over to Goodreads and add it to your to-read shelf.

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MY BECCA CAMPBELL REVIEWS

 

One Sentence Review of Steamy Paranormal Romance – Big Bad Wolf by Christine Warren @ChrstineWarren

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I read several Christine Warren’s Other Series books and this was my favorite…so far.

I enjoyed the series so much, I will be on the lookout for more of her work.

Big Bad Wolf (The Others, #2)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

Big Bad Wolf by Christine Warren is a steamy paranormal novel that sends sweet and innocent Missy on a MateHunt with her hot and sexy Were, Graham, and it was a fight to the death that kept me reading til the wee hours of the morning and left me craving more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB:  Book overview Missy Roper’s fantasies have revolved around Graham Winters since the moment they met. But the imposing leader of the Silverback werewolf clan always seemed oblivious to Missy’s existence. At least the Lupine law decrees that every Alpha must have a mate, and all Graham’s instincts tell him that the sensual, beguiling Missy is his. Trouble is, Missy is human?every delectable inch of her. Convincing his clan that she’s his destined mate, and keeping her safe from his enemies, will be the biggest challenge Graham has ever faced. And now that he is determined to have her?as his lover and as his mate?Missy’s world is changing in ways she never imagined? About The Author: About the Author Born and raised in coastal New England, Christine Warren now lives as a transplant in the Pacific Northwest (she completely bypassed those states in the middle due to her landlocking phobia). When not writing (as if that ever happens), she enjoys horseback riding, playing with her pets, identifying dogs from photos of their underbellies, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached via email sent to Christine@christinewarren.net.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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If you are looking for a steamy paranormal love story, hold onto your panties and be sure to check out Christine Warren’s Other stand alone series.

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Giveaway YA Dystopian – Into Shadow by T D Shields @td_shields @GoddessFish

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  Welcome to my stop for Into Shadow by T D Shields.

Will poor kitty survive this YA Dystopian…and the President’s daughter?

Amazon  /  Goodreads

Into Shadow by T.D. Shields

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: YA Dystopian

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

She’s nineteen. The President’s daughter. They want her dead.

Poppy’s father may be the President of the North American Alliance, but that just makes her a target for those wishing to topple the regime.

Barely escaping with her life, she must travel across a country ravaged by war and climate change to seek safety amongst a people who only recently opposed her. There she must use every skill learned from her military upbringing to survive terrifying beasts, deadly plant life, and lawless gangs before finally finding a group willing to accept her.

But her peace soon proves to be illusory. It’s not only the government that wants her dead now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT

We sped through the streets, taking turns recklessly fast as we tried to lose the bikes on our tails. As we flew around yet another corner, one of the bikes caught up to me and slapped into the back of my bike. It wasn’t a particularly hard collision, but it popped my bike loose from the mag-lev rail, and I went skidding sideways across the pavement. When the base of the bike hit the curb at the edge of the road, I was flung over the handlebars to land in a crumpled heap on the cracked sidewalk.

All I could do was lie there, staring blankly at a weed growing inches from my nose as I tried to catch my breath. From the corner of my eye I saw Sharra slow and look back, trying to decide if she could help me. Then she leaned low over the handlebars and shot off into the dark streets, leaving me behind.

A million small aches and pains made themselves known as I rolled slowly to my knees. I didn’t bother to get up any further than that. I was completely surrounded, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to move fast enough to break loose from all of these people and retrieve my downed bike. Instead, I waited in silence to see what would happen next and watched for an opportunity to escape.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

After writing stories in her head for the last 30+ years, Tara finally decided to take a stab at writing them down to share them with others.

Tara has a husband, 4 kids, and 5 cats to care for along with a full-time job and contract work on the side, so finding time to write is the biggest challenge. Since her most productive hours are from 12-5 a.m. anyway, Tara usually gives up sleep in favor of writing.

Amazon  /  iBooks  /  Kobo

Tara’s social media

FB www.facebook.com/tdshields.author

Twitter handle @td_shields

Website http://taradon.wixsite.com/tdshields

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12042892.T_D_Shields

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY

The author will be awarding the first book (ebook) in three YA series: <i>Into Shadow</i>, by TD Shields; <i>Awaken</i>, by Michelle Bryan; and <i>The Other Inheritance</i>, by Rebecca Jaycox to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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One Sentence Review – The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker @AprylBaker

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The awesome cover for The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker was done by Deviant Art.

Isn’t it creepy good?

FREE ON KINDLE

The Ghost Files (The Ghost Files, #1)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY ONE SENTENCE REVIEW

The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker is an unputdownable, spinetingling, terrifying horror thriller that has everything I require in an over the top read…Ghost Whisperer on steroids, a serial killer, a bit of romance, and a young girl that kicks ass and takes names.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 5 Stars

 

GOODREADS BLURB:  Soon to be a major motion picture!

Cherry blossom lipstick: check
Smokey eyes: check
Skinny jeans: check
Dead kid in the mirror: check

For sixteen year old Mattie Hathaway, this is her normal everyday routine. She’s been able to see ghosts since her mother tried to murder her when she was five years old. No way does she want anyone to know she can talk to spooks. Being a foster kid is hard enough without being labeled a freak too.

Normally, she just ignores the ghosts and they go away. That is until she see’s the ghost of her foster sister… Sally.

Everyone thinks Sally’s just another runaway, but Mattie knows the truth—she’s dead. Murdered. Mattie feels like she has to help Sally, but she can’t do it alone. Against her better judgment, she teams up with a young policeman, Officer Dan, and together they set out to discover the real truth behind Sally’s disappearance.

Only to find out she’s dealing with a much bigger problem, a serial killer, and she may be the next victim…

Will Mattie be able to find out the truth before the killer finds her?

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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FREE ON KINDLE

Giveaway & Guest Post – The Ashes and The Sparks by Mary Victoria Johnson @YABoundToursPR

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The cover for The Ashes and The Sparks by Mary Victoria Johnson made me curious about the story inside.

I think it describes it pretty good. What do you think?

Amazon  /  Goodreads

The Ashes and the Sparks
by Mary Victoria Johnson
Genre: YA Alt-History Fantasy
Release date: October 18th 2016
Fire and Ice Young Adult Books

Summary from Goodreads:

Welcome to the age of airships. It is a world powered by steam and innovation, ruled by an elusive empress at its heart.

Seventeen year-old Jorun is not part of this world. Hers is one of hidden tunnel networks and lights that dance across night skies, on that has remained separate from the rest of society for over a thousand years. This all changes when a boy appears from nowhere, raving about invaders from a faraway land. Purely by chance, Jorun soon finds herself in the middle of a struggle unlike anything she could have ever dreamed of, and must come to the realization that only she can stop an impending war.

Add to Goodreads

BUY LINKS: Smashwords  /  Nook  /  iBooks  /  Lulu.com Paperback

 

GUEST POST

Alternate History (about the “rules” and “limits” when writing Alt Hist)

As with most genres, althistory begins with one question: what if? What if Rome never fell? What if the Nazis won World War II? What if the Dark Ages turned into a period of great scientific advancement, or what if dragons really did exist in Ancient China? The possibilities are infinite, which is part of what makes the alternate history such a fascinating topic to explore. My novel takes place in the 1880’s, a period that many would recognize as Victorian. There’s just one key difference: Queen Victoria is dead. Gone. Assassinated. And when you remove such key players, society obviously develops far differently from what happened in our timeline. Really, that’s the core of what althistory is: creating a new, ‘alternate’ timelines.

Few writers enjoy the idea of rules and limits, and as far as genre boundaries go, alternate history offers lots of flexibility. You want the fairies of Irish folktales to be real? Sure. You want massive, gilded airships to be Europe’s primary mode of transportation? Go for it. You want Da Vinci and Michelangelo to be rival vampire-hunting vigilantes? Why not! Time travel, steampunk, and post-apocalyptic dystopias are all totally reasonable subgenres to delve into, but you’ve got to remember to keep the ‘history’ part too. You’ve got to remember that Earth –real Earth- has got to be the basic setting. Even if the magical land of Altoria mimics 3rd century Peru, if there are no connections to reality, then you’re writing straight-up fantasy. There has to be a connection to the real historical timeline. Of course, liberties can be taken; The Ashes and the Sparks involves a completely fictional society based on a mishmash of real Nordic cultures, set on a completely fictional archipelago of islands. But since it’s still set in this universe, with connections to other, real countries, it’s a go.

Another point to remember, is that usually, you only want to shift one major event. It gets way too confusing if the Spanish Armada successfully conquers Britain, leading to a chain of events that make them win the American Revolutionary War, but then a plague wipes out the entire country, so the moon landing never happens, so….lost? Exactly. Keep it simple; it’s amazing how a single event can create a massive ripple effect. Also, don’t leave plot holes. Since you are dealing with real history, your timeline shift has to be somewhat feasible. Nothing irritates readers more than logic jumps.

So go ahead: assemble all your outbreaks and assassinations, and give the past a twist! Set your chain of events in motion.

 

About the Author

Hi! I’m Mary Victoria Johnson, author of fantastical Young Adult fiction. I wrote my first novel when I was fourteen, and I haven’t stopped since! Now eighteen, my bibliography includes BOUNDARY, the first part of the Other Horizons Trilogy (Lodestone Books, 2015) and THE ASHES AND THE SPARKS (Fire and Ice YA, 2016). I was born in Cambridgeshire in the UK, and I now live on Vancouver Island where I study Creative Writing at the University of Victoria. 

Author Links:  Website│Goodreads│Facebook

GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Blog Tour Organized by:  YA Bound Book Tours

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – Age of Order by Julian North #JulianNorth

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 Welcome to my stop for Age of Order by Julian North.

It’s nice to have you here, Julian. I am a big fan of covers and they have a big influence over me. I am always curious to find out what authors think about them and how much they have to say about the final product.

GUEST POST

Covers by Julian North

Until I wrote my first novel, Age of Order, I never gave much thought to book covers. Of course I noticed them. I’m an avid reader, so I look at hundreds of the things a year. As a kid, before there was such a thing as the internet, I used to stare at the covers of my favorite books, imagining the scene playing out before me. But I never thought about covers the way I do now.

When I made the decision to “go indie” with Age of Order, I learned about the business of covers. There are “experts” out there (some very successful, some less so) who will sell you training videos about what a cover needs to do and don’t do: tell a reader what the book is about, catch their eyes, look the right way on an Amazon thumbnail, don’t create a scene from the book, conjure emotion. I got dizzy from it all. For Age of Order, I just wanted something that I would want to pick up.

For all that declared simplicity, I confess that I used two different artists on my Age of Order cover. The first produced several mock-ups, from which I picked the best and refined it. That first cover was fine work. But I never loved it. It was eye catching, but too generic. It didn’t capture the essence of what I wanted. After a couple of weeks of it itching me, I broke down and got another cover made from a different artist (luckily writing is a hobby, and I’m not trying to earn a profit, because covers aren’t cheap). He presented two choices, one was the current cover. No further revisions necessary, I took it as it.

I love it because it conveys the two worlds of Age of Order, a place of “haves” and “have nots.” I love the feel of the contrasting cities. I love the presentation of title. I’m told by the experts the bright colors are good for Amazon thumbnails. But most of all I hope that one day my son will stare at it, imagining a different world playing out before his eyes.

Thanks Julian…and now for more about the book.

Amazon  /  Goodreads

Age of Order by Julian North

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Dystopian Young Adult/New Adult

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB

What if the people who thought they were better than you… really were?

In this world, inequality is a science. Giant machines maintain order. And all people are not created equal.

Daniela Machado is offered a chance to escape the deprivation of Bronx City through a coveted slot at the elite Tuck School. There, among the highborn of Manhattan, she discovers an unimaginable world of splendor and greed. But her opportunity is part of a darker plan, and Daniela soon learns that those at society’s apex will stop at nothing to keep power for themselves. She may have a chance to change the world, if it doesn’t change her first.

Age of Order is a novel that explores the meaning of merit and inequality. Fans of the Hunger Games, Red Rising, and Divergent will enjoy this world of deception and intrigue, where the downtrodden must fight for a better future.

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EXCERPT

I dashed towards the dilapidated collection of storefronts hugging the fringes of the worn avenue, the rusted metal gates firmly closed, lean-to homes piled on their concrete roofs. Makeshift cardboard dwellings crowded the sidewalk. I ran for one of the lightless alleys between the buildings. Lurkers lived in those narrow corridors as surely as rats lived in the sewer, but I’d rather face them than the machines. I leaped towards the darkness.

A finder beam latched onto me as I sailed through the air, the comparative safety of the alley as tantalizingly close as candy in a shop window. I imagined the tight little dot on my leg, hot and hungry. I could almost touch the alley wall. But not quite. The hulking metal slave fired.

A correction pellet sliced through the fabricated leather of my sneaker and bit into my flesh. The force of the impact was enough to screw up my balance too. I landed on one foot instead of two, falling forward. Chewed-up concrete surged towards me. I sacrificed my right palm and left elbow to protect my head, and the viser strapped to my left forearm.

I scrambled to my feet and ran down the alley, my jaws clenched, but the pain wasn’t what was bothering me. I told myself that my shoe had blocked a lot of the pellet. That I probably hadn’t gotten hit with a full dose. That what was coming wouldn’t be that bad.

Liar.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

I’ve been writing since I could grab a pencil (remember those?). Then I had kids. Not much time for writing anymore. Until they started school… in New York City. I’m not from here, and the tumult of that experience inspired me. AGE OF ORDER grew from a diary of injustice. Now I write what I’m feeling, and let the rest flow from there. I hope you enjoy it.

Please visit my website at www.juliannorth.com and join my book club to receive a free short story set in the same world as AGE OF ORDER.

http:// www.juliannorth.com

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/539032.Julian_North

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GIVEAWAY

Julian North will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Teaser Tuesday #89 – A Pair of Docks by Jennifer Ellis @jenniferlellis

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Welcome to Teaser Tuesday hosted by The Purple Booker, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

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I won A Pair of Docks by Jennifer Ellis some time ago, but am just getting around to reading it. I am very pleasantly surprised with the storyline and want to read more.

A Pair of Docks (Derivatives of Displacement, #1)

Amazon  /  Goodreads

MY TEASE

“That’s quite the leap, Caleb. We don’t even know if we were on Earth, never mind if it was real. It could have all been a dream,” Abbey said.

(page 56% in paperback)

GOODREADS BLURB:  Fourteen-year-old Abbey Sinclair likes to spend her afternoons in the physics lab learning about momentum and gravitational pull. But her practical scientific mind is put to the test when her older brother, Simon, discovers a mysterious path of stones that allows them, along with Abbey’s twin, Caleb, to travel back and forth between their world and what appears to be…the future.

Unfortunately, they’re not the only ones who know about the stones, and they soon realize their lives are in danger from a man known only as Mantis. Abbey, Caleb, and Simon must follow a twisting trail of clues that will lead them from their autistic neighbor, Mark, to a strange professor who claims to know the rules of the stones, and to multiple futures—some of whose inhabitants don’t want to stay put.

It will take all of Abbey’s analytical skills to unravel the secrets of the stones, uncover the threads that tie the futures together, thwart Mantis’s plan, and, most importantly, keep her family alive—now and in the future.

A Pair of Docks explores Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, the meaning of time, the potential for parallel universes, and the boundary between science and witchcraft. It is the first novel in the Derivatives of Displacement series.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • animated smilies photo: animated animated.gifLook on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • Problem commenting, look for the twitter, facebook…buttons.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

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